Home reading.Text 25.

THE VILLAGER AND THE SPECTACLES

There was a villager. He was illiterate. He did not know how to read and write. He often saw people wearing spectacles for reading books or newspapers. “If I have spectacles, I can also read like these people. I must go to town and buy a pair of spectacles for myself.” So one day he went to a town. He entered a spectacles shop. He asked the shopkeeper for a pair of spectacles for reading. The shopkeeper gave various pairs of spectacles and a book. The villager tried all the spectacles one by one. But he could not read anything. He told the shopkeeper that all those spectacles were useless for him. The shopkeeper gave him a doubtful look. Then he looked at the book. It was upside down! The shopkeeper said, “Perhaps you don’t know how to read.” The villager said, “No, I don’t. I want to buy spectacles so that I can read like others. But I can’t read with any of these spectacles.” The shopkeeper controlled his laughter with great difficulty when he learnt the real problem of his customer.

He explained to the villager, “My dear friend, you are very ignorant. Spectacles don’t help to read or write. They only help you to see better. First of all you must learn to read and write”.

illiterate - неграмотный

spectacles - очки

doubtful ['dautful] - сомневающийся

ignorant - невежественный

upside down - вверх тормашками

useless ['ju:slis] - бесполезный

customer - покупатель

I. Think about your own title to the text. Give three variants.

II. Read the sentences in the text with the following words:

1. villager
2. read
3. town

III. Read the sentences which are true to the text.

1. The villager was illiterate.
2. He did not know how to read and write.
3. The villager tried two spectacles.
4. The shopkeeper laughed.
5. The spectacles help you to see better.

IV. Put the sentences in the correct order according to the text.

1. Spectacles don’t help to read or write.
2. He asked the shopkeeper for a pair of spectacles for reading.
3. The shopkeeper gave various pairs of spectacles and a book.
4. The villager did not know how to read and write.
5. So one day he went to a town.

V. Imagine that you are in that shop. What would you say?